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A Backdoor Pilot of Sorts Reveals that the CW’s Painkiller is Not What I Expected
Is it still a backdoor pilot if the show has already been announced? Asking for a network.
Either way, “Painkiller,” released on April 12, 2021, showed us a preview of what the new show, starring the amazing Jordan Calloway, might look like.
And it wasn’t at all what I was expecting.
Who is Painkiller?
Painkiller, real name Khalil Payne (in typical comic book pun fashion), showed up in the second episode of Black Lightning. He proceeded to date Jennifer, become crippled, get cybernetic implants so he could walk again, die, get resurrected as a living weapon, get forced to kill his mother.
In other words, Khalil was a dynamic supporting character with an interesting story.
And he’s been brainwashed. In fact, it’s now clear that Khalil and Painkiller have become a system (I’m not going to vouch for any accuracy. Comic book multiple personalities are a specific trope), and are in conflict with each other.
When the spin off was announced, I will say I had a specific expectation. I was expecting Painkiller wandering around as some kind of one man A-Team, kind of the CW’s Wolverine.